Chief Operating Officer - Middle East & Africa (m/f)

The role: Reporting to the CEO, you will build and run Clintessa’s operations across the Middle East and Africa, turning a regional strategy into working sites, teams and delivered studies. Key responsibilities: - Set up and run regional operations, including entity, regulatory and site readiness in priority markets - Lead study start-up and delivery: feasibility, site selection, regulatory and ethics submissions, and import permits for investigational products - Build and manage regional teams and the local site and vendor network - Own operational budgets, KPIs and delivery timelines - Ensure GCP / ICH E6(R3) compliance, working closely with the independent quality function - Build relationships with regulators, research institutions, investigators and partners - Support business development with operational input for proposals and sponsor meetings Frequent travel across the Gulf and East Africa. Start date: December 2026.

- University degree in life sciences, medicine, pharmacy or a related field - At least 5 years of experience in clinical research operations (CRO, SMO, sponsor or research site) - Hands-on knowledge of clinical trial regulation in East Africa and/or the Gulf - Experience building or scaling teams and operations - Strong command of English; Swahili or Arabic is an advantage - Willingness to travel frequently across the region